Tobacco-planter.



No. 633,2l6. v Patented Sept. I9, I899.

W. PRETSMAN.

TOBACCO PLkNTER.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.) (No Model.) I 4 ShaetsS haet N I [I N k Q I m: cams PEIERS c0 PugTo-u'ma. wuumamn, 0. cv

No. 633,216. Patnted Sept. 19, I899.

W. PRETSMAN.

TOBACCO PLANTER.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-6M 2,

mi annals Pnzws my PhOYO-LITHO waswmu'rou, o. c.

Patented Se pt. I9, I899.

w. PRETSMAN. TOBACCO PLANTER.

(Applicatiun filed June 19, 1899.) (No Mode\.) 4 S-haetsSheet 3 VIIIIIIII/I/I/ w: norms PiYERS co PHOTO-LIYHO wAsHmm'on, a. c.

No. 633,2l6.

Patenter? Sept-19, I899; W. PRETSMAN.

TOBACCO PLANTER.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.)

(No Model.)

ms Nonms PEYERS co, PMUYO-UTHO,WASHINGTON. u c.

vIO

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM PRETSMAN, OF GREENVILLE, OHIO.

TOBACCO-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 683,216, dated September 19, 1899.

Application fileddnne 1c. 1899'. strains. 721.095. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PRETsMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Green ville, in the county of Darke and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Planters, of which the following is aspeoification.

My invention relates to tobacco-planters and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous construction, certain novel combinations, and the adaptation of parts hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurelis a vertical section taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the forward portion of the planter. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken in the plane of line at at of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken in the plane indicated byline 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrating one of the seats for the attendants, together with the adjustable beam on which the same is mounted. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by line 7 7 of Fig. 1. A Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section illustrating the manner in which a lever for throwing the planting mechanism in and out of gear is connected with the main frame. Y indicated by line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section illustrating the manner in which the Water-tank is reinovably secured upon the main frame. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional View illustrating one of the whiffletree-hooks.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the several views, referring to which v A is the main frame of the planter, which is made up of side bars a, four (more or less).

cross-bars b, and a longitudinal central bar 0,

extended forward of the foremost cross-bar.

B is the rear axle,u pon which the rear crossbar of the frame is mounted and fixedly secured.

C O are rear traveling wheels which are loosely mounted on the axle, and D is a forward pilot-wheel. Arranged adjacent to the wheels 0 C are mud or dirt guards E, which normally rest upon the main frame and are connected to the same in ahing'cd manner at Fig. 9 is a section taken in the plane 02, so as to permit of them being raised when it is desired to lubricate the Wheels. Also arranged adjacent to the wheels C C are cleaners F, which have for their purpose to remove mud and dirt from the peripheries of said Wheels. These cleaners F are fixed on a transverse rock-shaft c, which is j on rnaled on the frame and is provided with a crankf, connected by a pitman g with a pedal-lever h, fulcrumed on the frame and normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring i, so as to normally hold the cleaners away from the wheels. When it is necessary to remove dirt or mud from the peripheries of wheels C C,the driver has but to depress the upper arm of lever h and thereby move the cleaners against the peripheries of the wheels. The pilot-wheel D is fixed on a shaftj, journaled in hangers 70, depending from a bar Z, which is pivotally connected to the under side of the extended portion of the frame-bar c and is provided with a wear-plate m, designed to work against a similar plate a on the said bar c. To the forward end of the bar Z is pivotally connected a tonguepnvhich is equipped with the usual doubletree q and whiffletrees r. The whiiiletrees are in turn equipped with pivotally-inounted hooks 3. These hooks have their outer portions bifurcate'd, as best shown in Fig. 11, and are provided with levers t, which are pivoted in the bifurcations, and are provided with arms u for the engagement of trace-eyes, and arms calculated to prevent casual disengagement of the trace-eyes from the hooks.

G is a pedal-lever which is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 bya spring 10 and is equipped at its lower end with a cleaner a; for the pilot-wheel. WVhen the uper portion of this lever G is depressed by the driver, the cleaner or will be carried into engagement with the pilot-wheel and in such position will scrape mud and dirt from the periphery of said wheel.

H is a water-tank which is mounted on the frame A and is removably secured in position support fort-he drivers seat ct, which is pref-.

IOO

erably provided with an umbrella-socket I), as shown.

I is a beam which carries the planting mechanism presently described. This beam is connected to the frame in a hinged manner at 0, so as to enable itto swing in 'a vertical plane, and is designed to be depressed and held close to the earth by a spring J, which is connected to the frame and has its free portion arranged in a strap (1 on the beam, as shown. In order to enable one of the attendants to conveniently raise the beam I when desired, I provide a lever K, which is fulcrumed on the frame A and is provided with the usual detent arranged to engage a rack on said frame. The said lever K is connected by a toggle-lever c' with one arm of a bellcrank lever f, which is fulcrnmed in a hanger g, depending from the frame, and hasits other arm loosely arranged in aloop h on the spring J and equipped with an antifriction-roller 11, which bears against the spring, as shown. It follows from this that when the detent of the hand-lever is released from the rack and said lever is swung forward the beam I will be depressed, so as to hold the plan ting 1n echanism to its work-21 6., in proper position with reference to the earth-while when said hand-lever is rocked rearwardly and secured through the medium of the rack and detent the beam I will be raised against the action of the spring J and held in its elevated position.

L is a furrow-opener which is connected to and depends from the beam I. This furrowopener is preferably of V shape in cross-section and has its forward end beveled, as shown, to facilitate its progress through the earth, and also has portions of its side walls extended in rear of the beam, as shown in Fig. at.

M are shoes which are disposed at opposite sides of and extend in rear of the furrowopener, as shown. These shoes are connected to bars j, which are adjustably connected to slotted angle-plates 7s, which in turn are adjustably connected to opposite sides of the beam I, whereby it will be seen that the shoes may be raised or lowered and moved toward and from each other, as desired. The furrow-opener serves the purpose that its name implies, while the shoes are designed to press wet earth about the plants after they are set in the furrows, as will be presently described.

N is a plate arranged upon and connected to the rear portion of the beam I, and P is a vertically-disposed water-discharge spout which is connected to the plate N and one of the rearwardly-extended portions of the furrow-opener and is arranged to discharge between said rearwardly-extended portions of the furrow-opener. The spout P is connected with tank H by a flexible pipe Q and contains a spring-backed valve S, which is normally held in a closed position and is designed to be opened at suitable intervals when the planter is in operation by the traveling wheel 0 through the medium of an interposed gear. The gear is best shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and comprises one or more tappetsl, connected to the wheel 0 and provided by preference with antifriction-rollers m, a transverse endWise-movable and rock shaft n, journaled in hearings on the frame A and having an angular arm at its outer end arranged to be engaged by the antifriction-rollers m, a rock-shaft 1), journaled in a plate q, fixed on the frame and having an angular arm a" at one end terminating in an eye, loosely receiving the rock-shaft n, a levers, fixed at an intermediate point of its length on the opposite end of the shaft 1), a crank-shaft t, arranged in bearings on the spout P and having arms a '0, a link 10'', connecting the arm to of the crank-shaft and the upper arm of lever s, and a link at, connecting the arm n of the crank-shaft and a lateral projection on the valve S, as shown. The connection between the link 10 and the upper arm of the lever s is preferably an adjustable one, as shown, to permit of the throw of the valve S being adjusted when necessary.

T are base-irons arranged upon and connected to the plate N. U are upright-s adjustably connected to and rising from said irons at points adjacentto the forward ends of the same, and V is a rock-shaft journaled in the uprights. This rock-shaft carries two resilient plant-grasping jaws W and has a crank a connected by a link 11 with the lower arm of the lever 8, whereby it will be seen that the plant-grasping jaws will be depressed or moved downwardly coincident with the upward movement of the valve S and the discharge of water from spout P. A spring 0 connected to the crank a and the beam I, serves to return the rock-shaft V and the jaws W to the position shown in Fig. 1 and normally hold the same in such position.

Y are two cams which have for their purpose to engage and move the jaws W together when the same are depressed, so as to enable said jaws to grasp a plant and set the same in the furrow formed by the opener L, and Y are curved strips of metal which are connected to the base-irons T and have for their purpose to guide the plant-grasping jaws between the cams Y on the up movement of said jaws. The cams Y are pivoted in bodyplates 6 and have their lower portions weighted, so as to normally rest in and reassumc the position shown in Fig. 4 after the jaws IV move out of engagement therewith. The body-plates e in turn are adjustably connected to the base-irons '1, so as to permit of the cams Y being moved in or outto regulate the extent of the movement of the jaws IV toward each other. Said body-plates e are also connected to the base-ironsin such manner as to permit of the cams Y being raised or lowered when desired. The connection preferred consists of threaded bolts f rising from the base-irons T and extending through slots in the body-plates c and two nuts I arranged below, and one nut 71?, arranged above, each body-plate, as shown. In order to prevent the plant-grasping jaws WV from vibrating when in their raised position, and thereby injuring the eyes of the attendants, I provide a loop F, of spring-wire, against which the jaws hear when in their raised position, as best shown in Fig. 4. Said loop 71 also serves as a stop to limit the upward movem'ent of the jaws.

The plant-setting mechanism described is similar in. several respects to that disclosed in my Letters Patent No. 615,744 of December 13, 1898, but differs materially from the same in that the plant-grasping jaws extend rearwardly instead of forwardly from their rock shaft. By virtue of the said jaws extending rearwardly from their rock-shaft it will be seen that they are enabled to set a plant as the planter draws away from the same and that after the plant is set nothing passes over it, and hence there is no liability of the plant being broken or otherwise injured, which is an important advantage.

A are beams disposed at opposite sides of the beam 1. These beams A are pivotally and adjustably connected to hangers B, depending from the frame A, so as to permit of them being raised and lowered and adjusted longitudinally, as desired. They are also adjustably supported adjacent to their forward ends in hangers Cidependingfrom theframeA,and are equipped at their rear ends with seats D.

E are trays which have hooks at their forward ends removably arranged in lug-eyes F on the main frame. These trays are arranged in advance of and in a plane above the seats D and are designed to hold tobacco-plants within convenient reach of attendants on the seats D.

In addition to the seats D the beams A are provided with adjustable foot-rests G and also with eyes H. The latter are arranged at the rear ends of the beams and are designed for the engagement of hooks t on the inner ends of lateral marker-bars I. These bars are provided at their outer ends with marking-shoes J, which are suspended by chains or cords u from the ends of the axle. The markers are designed to be used alternately after the usual manner, and when one is in use the other is placed in and supported by a hook c on the adjacent mud-guard E.

A driver and two attendants are employed in the practical operation of my improved planter,which is as follows: Plants are placed by the attendants on seats D in a plan t-holder D which is similar to that disclosed in my aforesaid Letters Patent except that it is connected to the axle B, and are grasped between the jaws W incident to the down movement of the latter. As the machine advances the valve S is opened and the shaft V rocked to depress the jaws W every time a lug or tappet Z of the wheel 0 engages the angular arm at the outer end of the rock-shaft n. The opening of the valve results in a quantity of waterbein g discharged into the furrow formed by the opener L, and the depression of jaws W results in said jaws engaging the cams Y and being pressed together or toward each other by the same. When so pressed together, the jaws W will grasp the plant placed between them and carry it down and set it in the furrow. At this time the jaws W willbe disengaged from the cams Y, and springing apart will release and draw away from the plant and leave the same in the furrow, in

which position it will be fixed by reason of the shoes M packing the moistened earth about it. Immediately after the jaws W spring apart to release the plant which they have set the spring 0 operates through the medium of the mechanism described to raise the jaws WV to their normal position above the cams Y, which by reason of their lower ends being weighted assume and normally rest in the position shown in Fig. 4.

When it is desirable to stop the plant-setting mechanism for any reason, the same may be accomplished by one of the attendants on seats D, through the medium of a handlever M. This lever M is provided at an intermediate point of its length with a slot 6 which loosely receives a stud f on the rockshaft n. At its forward end said lever has a head 9 which is loosely mounted on a threaded post h rising from a base '6 The head of the lever is pressed by a spring 9' against the base i and is provided with a depending projection 70 which is movable between two stops Z on the base, as shown. The spring serves to hold the lever in engagement with the shaft 17., while the projection W, in conjunction with stops Z limits the movement of the lever. By moving the rear end of the lever toward the left the angular arm orshaft n is moved out of the path of the tappet or tappets on the wheel C, while by moving the rear end of the lever in the opposite direction the arm of the rock-shaft is carried into the path of said tappet or tappets. It is obvious that any number of tappets may be placed on the wheel 0, according to the distanceit is desired to place the plants apart.

It is desirable in all cases to employ two attendants to feed plants to the holder D particularly when a large number of tappets are placed on the wheel 0, since a plant must be placed in the holder precedent to each depression of the jaws 'W. In order to protect the attendants in the seats D from the sun, I provide the frame A which is designed to support an awning. (Not shown.) The said frame A is connected in a hinged manner to uprights B rising from the frame A, and is designed to be supported in its operative position by supports 0 which are connected to it in a hinged manner, and are arranged to bear at their lower ends upon the rear crossbar of the frame A. When it is not desired to use the awning-frame A the supports 0 may be swung against said frame and, together with the frame, swung over upon the tank H, where they will be out of the way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, a vertically-adjustable beam connected with the frame and provided with a furrow-opener, a water-tank, a dischargespout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve for controlling the discharge, plant setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, and means for opening the valve and actuating the plant setting mechanism, substantially as specified.

2. In atobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, traveling wheels, a verticallyadjnstable beam connected with' the frame and provided with a furrow-opener, a watertank, a discharge-spout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve for controlling the discharge, plant-setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, and inechanism operated by one of the traveling wheels for simultaneouslyopening the valve and actuating the plant-setting mechanism, substantially as specified.

3. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, a vertically-adjustable, longitudinal central beam connected with and disposed below the frame and provided with a furrow-opener, a water-tank, a dischargespout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve for controlling the dis charge, plant-setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, means for opening the valve and actuating the plant-setting mechanism, and longitudinal beams connected to and disposed below the frame at opposite sides of the central beam and provided with seats, substantially as specified.

4. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, a vertically-adjustable, longitudinal central beam connected with and disposed below the frame and provided with a furrow-opener, a water-tank, a dischargespout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve for controlling the dis- .charge, plant-setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, means for opening the valve and actuating the plant-setting mechanism, vertically and longitudinally adjustable beams connected to and disposed below the frame at opposite sides of the central beam and provided with seats, and planttrays connected to-and supported by the frame in a plane above the outer beams, substantially as specified.

5. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, traveling wheels, one or more tappets on one of the Wheels, a water-tank, a discharge-spout connected with said tank, a valve for controlling the discharge, a plantholder, a rock-shaft provided with resilient, plant-grasping jaws, means for moving the jaws together incident to their depression, a rock-shaft p journaled in bearings on the frame and having an angular arm terminating in an eye, a connection between said rockshaft 1) and the shaft bearing the plantgraspingjaws, a connection between the shaft p and the valve, an endwise-movable and rock shaft journaled in the frame and extending through the eye of the arm on shaft 19 and having an arm adapted to be engaged by the tappet or tappets of the traveling wheel, and means for moving said shaft in an endwise direction, substantially as specified.

(i. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, traveling wheels, a verticallyadjustable beam connected to and disposed below the frame, a water-tank, a dischargespout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve arranged in the discharge-spout, a plant-holder, a rock-shaft journaled on the beam and provided with resilient, plant grasping jaws, means for mov in g the jaws together incident to their depression, a rock-shaft p journaled in bearings on the frame and having an angular arm terminating in an eye, a connection between said rock-shaft p and the shaft bearing the plant-grasping jaws, a connection between the shaft 1') and the valve, an endwise-movable and rock shaft journaled in the frame and extending through an eye of the arm on shaft 2') and having an arm adapted to be engaged by the tappet or tappets of the traveling Wheels, and means for moving said shaft in an endwise direction, substantially as specified.

7. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, a vertically-adjustable beam connected with and disposed below the frame and provided with a f urrow-opener, a watertank, a discharge-spout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve for controlling the discharge, plant-setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, means for opening the valve and actuating the plantsetting mechanism, a spring connected to the frame and bearing on the beam, and a handlever mounted on the frame and connected with the beam, substantially as specified.

8. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a frame, a vertically-movable beam connected in a hinged manner to and disposed below the frame and having a loop, a spring connected to the frame and extending through the loop on the beam and having a loop of its own, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms extended through the loop on the spring and equipped with an antifriction-roller, a handlever fulcrumed on the frame and connected with the other arm of the bell-crank lever, and means for adj ustably fixing the bell-crank lever, substantially as specified.

9. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, traveling wheels, a longitudinal central beam connected to and disposed below the frame and provided with a furrow-opener, a water-tank, a discharge-spout arranged on the beam and connected with the tank, a valve in said spout, plant-setting mechanism also arranged on the beam, means for opening the valve and actuating the plant-setting mechanism, beams connected to and disposed below the frame at opposite sides of the longitudinal central beam and provided with seats, markers loosely connected to the rear ends of the latterbeams and extendinglaterally therefrom, loose connections between the outer ends of the markers and the main frame, m udguards connected in a hinged manner to the frame and arranged over the traveling Wheels, and hooks connected to said guards and adapted to support the markers when not in use, substantially as specified.

10. In a tobacco-planter, the combination of a main frame, traveling Wheels, a furrowopener, a water-tank, a spout connected to the tank and arranged to discharge in rear of the furrow-opener, a valve for controlling the discharge, a rock-shaft, resilient plant-grasping jaws connected to and extending rearwardly from said rock-shaft, means for moving said jaws together incident to their downward movement, and mechanism operated by one my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM PRETSMAN. \Vitnesses:

IRA H. MARTIN, A. O. BRANDON. 

